The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-17
AN UNHAPPY ACTRESS.
Her Little Scheme NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
fields New PIav.

fields New Play.
NEW YORK, July 16.-A few nights ago an
ambitious and clever woman, who had just
made her New York appearance upon the
stage, was observed to stare up the aisle with
more or less anxiety as the curtain descend
ed on the second act. The apprehension was
noticed by the people on the stage. After the
curtain had fallen, she peeped through and
wrung her hands moment before going to
her dressing room. Then she hurried away.
A moment later a placid usher wandered
down the aisle with large bouquet to which
was attached small parcel. He handed it
to the musical conductor, and that gentle
| man, being in a somewhat somnolent condi-
| ton, read the name of the actress for whom
it was designed and placed it between his
| feet with the idea of tossing it to her during
the following act. Later he accidentally
kicked the bouquet out of sight under his
desk and forgot all about it.
The perturbation and tension of the actress
in the last act excited unusual attention.
The curtain fell, the audience dispersed, and
then the actress rushed to the orchestra
leader, assembled the ushers and cried fran
tically:
"Where is my bouquet!'
81 sent it down the aisle" said the usher
dllu JOu IuuoU NV SOU IL.
''Well, | didn't get it," said the actress
tearfully, land there was diamond ring in
it too Whom did you give it to!"
1.-The leader"
They turned excitedly to the knight of
the baton, and he rubbed his head earnestly
and tried to recollect what he had done with
it. He failed. Then they began a search of
the house and stage. 1t was an awful
position. Paragraphs have been sent down
town to the newspaper officers to the effect
that millionaire admirer had sent Miss
Whatd'ye-call-her a bouquet, and that
nesting among the roses she found So, 900
diamond, ETC., ETC. Meanwhile, the only
diamond that the lady possessed was miss
ing from her finger, and the suspicion of
the real condition of affairs got abroad.
am afraid there were gibes and cheers, and
know there was an immense amount of ex-
element but it ended well, for at 2 o'clock
in the morning the lady found her bouquet
and her diamond, and, being of an amiable
disposition, she took the ushers and the con-
trite leader of the orchestra with her to a
Bohemian supper around the corner. They
were all pledged to inviolate secrecy-and
the following day everybody in town knew
all about it. got it from the best source in
the world, for the actress told me about it
herself
The stagnation of the summer season was
broken on Monday by the production of a
new play by Richard Mansfield, who is as
clever and ingenious as any of the younger
men of the stage. He calls the play Mon
sieur," though why on earth man should
give a play name which everybody is
afraid to pronounce by daylight is not clear
There is probably not a word in the French
language that is SO difficult to master as
this but it advertises Mr. "Mansfield'sn play
and not by its proper title, Monsieur" 1t
is exactly what had been looked fora light
and ingenious slxit, without any notable
dramatic power and with very little pro-
nounced originality. Mansfield was the
play. He was as ingenious, accomplished
and versatile as ever, and his little tricks
and his notable bits Of by-play told at every
turn of the piece. Without him, it would
be nothing. With him 1t Is entertaining and
palatable.
Mansfield is a man of natural polish. l
believe he.is often referred to as a cad and a
snob by actors, but must say, as far as my
observation has gone, he has invariably car
ried himself with modesty and good taste.
lido not know him personally, but ever
since he has come to New York he has
swung in with good set OF people, dimes
in the right places with men and women OF
good social station, drives his own horse to
a thoroughly correct cart and behaves
throughout as any other well-educated and
Genial man would who had dislike for the
notoriety of the stage, and preferred to mix
with people of position. They are telling a
story now about a very eccentric old man
and his wife in the Victoria Hotel, who are
exceedingly rich and monstrously cranky,
and who have taken the most extraordinary
liking to the young actor. He is attentive
r. them. and they visit his theatre con-
stantly A warm friendship has sprung up
in the oddly assorted little trio.
- BLAKELY HALL.